Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes

Most runners who complete a race take a banana at the finish and eat it then and there. Not me. No, I’m not hoarding bananas because that would just be wrong. I just don’t like the taste or texture of raw bananas. Too mushy and squishy for me. Yuck. So at the end of the Sporting Life 10K, I ended up with a banana and a bagel. The bagel was gone in about 4.95 seconds (I’m kidding) but that banana was headed off for bigger and better things. Like what? How about banana chocolate chip protein pancakes! Sounds good to me!

These pancakes don’t use the typical ingredients such as flour, eggs, sugar and milk. Rather, you might have to do a bit of prep work to find the chia seeds and chick pea flour but you’ll be glad you did because these pancakes are healthy and quite filling. Trust me, these pancakes come out so light, fluffy and sweet, no one will know what they’re made of. You just taste the banana and the chocolate chips. Yummy! Just keep the amount of jam or syrup you use as a topping in check and you’ve got the perfect meal.

For those of you wondering about chia seeds, they have numerous health benefits. They are high in protein, electrolytes and antioxidants. They also can help to lower blood pressure and provide a great source of energy. So for those of you who run or are active in sports, these might be the perfect post-run or post-workout meal for you. Enjoy!

Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes
(Yield: 3-5 pancakes)

Ingredients

2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup egg whites

2 tablespoons mashed banana (about 1/2 of a small banana)

1 tablespoon chia seed

1/2 cup chick pea flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

pinch white stevia concentrate powder

1 tbsp chocolate or carob chips

1 tsp coconut oil (optional)

1 tbsp light maple syrup (optional)

Directions

In a small bowl, add the unsweetened almond milk, egg whites, mashed banana, chia seeds and vanilla. Let the mixture to soak for at least 10 minutes. This will allow the chia seeds to soften and become gel-like.

Lightly oil a non-stick frying pan with cannola oil or cooking spray and place onto the burner on a medium low heat.

Combine the chick pea flour, baking powder, and stevia in a separate bowl, mix and then add to the wet ingredients.

Stir until just combined and add in the chocolate chips.

Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, scoop out the pancake batter and pour into the preheated pan. Once bubbles begin to form around the edges, flip the pancake and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes. Place the pancake on a plate and repeat with the remaining batter.

Recipe notes: I bought my chickpea flour and chia seeds from a bulk foods store. You should be able to find chia seeds in the organic section of your local grocery store or specialty stores like Whole Foods or health food stores. Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans so they might be sold as garbanzo bean flour (ie. Bob’s Red Mill).